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A man and his son pleaded not guilty yesterday to federal charges that they bred potentially
diseased white-tailed deer with other animals across the United States.

Donald W. Wainwright Sr. and his son, Donald W. Wainwright Jr., were indicted this week on
charges of conspiracy and fraud alleging that they illegally sold and bred white-tailed deer and
operated a wild-animal hunting preserve in West Liberty in Logan County, about 50 miles northwest
of Columbus.

The indictment says the Wainwrights are part-time residents of both West Liberty and Live Oak,
Fla., which is in northern Florida between Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

The two men would not comment after their arraignment yesterday in U.S. District Court in
Columbus. Wainwright Sr. was placed on home detention; Wainwright Jr. was released on his own
recognizance.

According to the indictment:

• The older Wainwright, 48, is part owner and operator of a breeding and hunting facility in
West Liberty and owner and operator of one in Live Oak, both called Valley View Whitetails. He also
helped operate a deer-breeding facility in West Liberty called Cherokee Whitetails.

• Wainwright Jr., 28, helped his father at Ohio Valley View.

• Wainwright Sr. bought a “trophy-sized white-tailed deer,” Little Moose, with an unnamed
co-conspirator for $20,000 in 2009. The deer was not certified as disease-free.

They attached a federal identification tag from a dead deer to Little Moose. The tag said the
animal was certified as disease-free.

They then sold breeding services and semen from Little Moose to deer breeders nationwide from
late 2009 until January 2012, earning $72,000.

• Wainwright Sr. did the same with other deer. Diseases that affect deer and could be harmful to
cattle and humans are tuberculosis, brucellosis and chronic wasting disease.

• With the help of other unnamed co-conspirators, he also illegally transported deer from Ohio
to Florida and Georgia in 2010. In 2012, he allowed deer hunting at an unlicensed facility in
Ohio.

Wainwright Sr. is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of wire fraud and 12 counts of
violating the Lacey Act, which involves interstate wildlife trafficking.

His son is charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of making false statements and seven
counts of violating the Lacey Act.

Wire fraud is punishable by 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Each of the other counts
carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Ohio Division of Wildlife have been investigating the
Wainwrights for several years, according to court testimony.